2024-10-29 00:31:01James tried to process the shock as he faced Victor in the grand, opulent office.
“So… you’re telling me my father, the man who couldn’t afford hospital bills, was secretly a billionaire?” James’s voice was thick with disbelief.
Victor nodded, his gaze steady. “Not just a billionaire, James. He built Maple Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the country. And as of today, it’s all yours.”
James laughed bitterly. “This feels like some kind of joke. Why would he keep this hidden from us?”
Victor’s expression softened. “David was a man of many secrets, but he wanted you to inherit everything once you were ready. Today is that day.”
James shook his head, struggling to understand. “So… my sister? Her medical expenses?”
Victor leaned forward. “Taken care of. A private team is with her as we speak.”
James exhaled slowly, relief flooding him. “Thank you… I mean, thank you for everything. But I just… I don’t understand why my father would let us live like that.”
Victor studied him for a moment. “Maybe he wanted you to grow strong without relying on wealth. Whatever the reason, he trusted you with this.”
James blinked, still trying to absorb the news. “And the money… you said there was an account?”
Victor handed him a sleek tablet. “Check it yourself.”
James entered his details, his breath catching as the balance popped up. “$160 million…”
“Consider it a start,” Victor said calmly.
“A start?” James’s voice was barely a whisper. He shook his head, forcing himself back to the present. “Thank you, Victor. I mean it. This changes… everything.”
Victor gave a slight smile. “It’s your legacy, James. Make the most of it.”
At the hospital, James sat beside Emily’s bed, watching her as she lay asleep, a peaceful contrast to the pain that had haunted her.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more before,” he murmured, gently squeezing her hand. “But from now on, everything will be different. I’ll protect you, Emily. I swear.”
He thought back to the accident, his chest tightening with anger. He now knew who was behind it—Tom Mason, the wealthy playboy who’d walked away scot-free.
James clenched his fists. “I won’t let him get away with it,” he muttered. “He’s going to pay for what he did to you.”
The memory of Victor’s words echoed in his mind: Tom Mason might be powerful, but he’s not invincible.
“Not anymore,” James vowed under his breath. He knew what he had to do.
Just then, his phone buzzed. He frowned, surprised to see a voice message from Pamela.
“Hey… I transferred fifty thousand to your account. Don’t ask why. Just… use it for whatever you need,” she said, her tone unexpectedly gentle.
James couldn’t help but smile. Pamela, who always seemed distant, had gone out of her way to help. Maybe there was still some kindness in her after all.
An idea formed. “Time to show some appreciation.”
He found himself at the city’s most luxurious jewelry store, eyes fixed on a dazzling necklace in the display case.
The sales assistant beamed. “This is ‘Eternal Love.’ One of a kind. $800,000.”
Without a second thought, James nodded. “I’ll take it.”
As he arrived home, a black Mercedes parked out front caught his eye. His stomach twisted when he recognized it.
“Tom,” he muttered, a surge of anger rising within him.
Taking a steadying breath, he clenched his fists. It’s time to settle things, once and for all.
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Latest Chapter
Chapter 107
Note inside the box:“You missed. Again. But don’t worry—next time, I won’t.”—LVictor scanned the area with growing unease. “He’s mocking us.”James stared at the bullet in his palm. It was polished, engraved with a number: 82.Pamela’s age? A countdown? A code?Damien circled the perimeter. “No surveillance. No footprints. They scrubbed everything clean. He wanted us to find this.”James slipped the bullet back into the box and handed it to Victor. “Send it to forensics. I want every trace of print, chemical, or toolmark pulled from that casing.”Victor nodded, already on his comms.Damien tilted his head. “You think this is a threat to Pamela?”James didn’t answer immediately. Then, grimly, “No. I think it’s a threat to me. A reminder that he can reach anyone I care about.”James’s Estate – Later That MorningPamela sat curled on the edge of the sofa, watching the fire crackle in the hearth. Her hair was still damp, her robe exchanged for one of James’s oversized shirts.He steppe
Chapter 106
The Trap TightensThe next morning, Emily stood by the window of her safehouse, coffee untouched in her hands. She hadn’t slept. The silence of the apartment was suffocating, each creak and shadow pulling her nerves tighter.She flinched when her phone buzzed.Unknown Number: You should’ve stayed on campus.Her hands trembled. A second message appeared—this time, an image. It showed her from behind, standing at that same window, moments ago.Emily dropped the phone.Downstairs, one of the guards caught the alert from the security system. James’s team had swept the apartment, locked down the perimeter, but clearly, someone had gotten close—too close.Maple Group HeadquartersJames’s eyes were bloodshot as he read Emily’s forwarded messages.“She’s supposed to be in a secure location,” he growled.Victor was already coordinating. “I’m pulling the surveillance now. Whoever got that photo had to be within fifty feet. If we’re lucky, they tripped a motion sensor.”Pamela hovered nearby, te
Chapter 105
As Damien left the office, escorted by security, Pamela turned to James, her expression a mixture of disbelief and concern.“You can’t be serious,” she said, her voice low. “You’re really going to work with him?”James rubbed his temple. “I’m going to use him. There’s a difference.”Victor folded his arms. “Still, it’s risky. Damien could be feeding Liam everything we say.”James nodded. “Which is why we won’t say much. Only what we want Liam to hear.”Pamela narrowed her eyes. “So he’s bait.”“Exactly.” James turned to the window again, his gaze dark and steady. “If Liam wants to play with shadows, let’s give him ghosts.”Meanwhile…Across the city, in a high-rise suite dimly lit by the fading evening sun, Liam Donovan stood by the bar, swirling a glass of bourbon. A man stood opposite him—tall, lean, with slicked-back hair and a presence that carried quiet violence.“Damien met with James,” the man reported.Liam smirked. “Of course he did. Like a moth to flame.”“Should I intervene
Chapter 104
James set his phone down, his fingers tightening around the device. Liam Donovan wasn’t just another businessman—he was a predator, the kind who thrived on exploiting weaknesses. Gregory had been desperate enough to call in a man like that, and now, even behind bars, his reach still lingered.Pamela’s brows furrowed as she stepped closer. “What did he say?”James exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the city skyline beyond his office window. “He made an offer.”Victor scoffed. “Let me guess. ‘Why fight when we can strike a deal’?”James smirked. “Almost word for word.”Pamela’s stomach tightened. “And what does he want?”James turned to her, his expression unreadable. “Control.”Victor’s jaw clenched. “Then we have a problem.”James’s eyes darkened. “No. He has a problem.”The Trap is SetBy morning, James had already begun countermeasures. Liam operated in the shadows, but that didn’t mean James couldn’t bring him into the light.Victor stood at James’s desk, handing over a file. “We fo
Chapter 103
The Last Loose EndDespite Gregory’s arrest, James couldn’t shake the feeling that something was unfinished. He sat in his office at Maple Group, fingers steepled as he studied the documents Victor had placed in front of him.“All of Gregory’s accounts have been frozen,” Victor reported. “The properties under his name are being seized. His investors have pulled out. On paper, he’s done.”James barely nodded. “And off paper?”Victor hesitated. “There’s one thing we haven’t accounted for—his offshore connections. Before his arrest, he made a large transfer to an unnamed entity. We don’t know where it went.”James’s jaw tightened. “Whoever received that money is still out there.”Victor sighed. “I’ve got people digging. But there’s something else you should see.”He pushed a file forward.James opened it. The first page was a printed email—one that had been sent from Gregory’s encrypted account just hours before his arrest.James’s eyes darkened as he read the message:“If you’re reading
Chapter 102
A Race Against TimeJames’s car sped through the city streets, Victor’s voice sharp in his earpiece.“We have a location. Gregory’s men were spotted near the east industrial district. They’re moving in on something—or someone.”James’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Pamela and Emily?”“They’re secure,” Victor assured him. “But this isn’t just a scare tactic, James. Gregory is making his final move.”James’s jaw clenched. “Then we make ours.”At the East Industrial DistrictThe air was thick with tension as Gregory’s men surrounded the abandoned warehouse. The target was inside—someone they had been paid to silence.Inside, a man sat in the shadows, his face pale with fear. He had once been one of Gregory’s closest business allies, but now, he was nothing more than a liability. He had agreed to testify against Gregory, and in return, Gregory had sent his men to eliminate him.A masked man stepped forward, gun in hand. “Mr. Shaw sends his regards.”The man squeezed his eyes shut
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